Percy Park 5 West 26

By Dave Picken - October 9 2016

This was a much tougher game than the scoreline suggests against a much bigger side with some genuine pace in the backs ..

With enforced changes due to injuries and wedding do's we were boosted by the return of Aaron Myers who began in the back row but finished the game in the centre as we had to constantly reshuffle the backs because of injuries.

Aaron scored the best try of the day to give us a great start to the second half following a two try blitz at the start of the game.

That initial pressure paid off after five minutes. Zac Southern kicked superbly for the corner, and when the Percy Park throw was judged to be not straight we took advantage of our own throw to catch and drive - Sam Miller emerging with the ball as the forwards forced their way over the line. Gav Painter's kick was just wide.

We lost winger Luke Mallinson to a hamstring injury - without him touching the ball - with Paul Moss coming into the center and Liam Checksfield moving out wide.

It didn’t slow the momentum as the pack forced its way back to the right corner. A series of pick and go's had Percy Park defending desperately, but they couldn't stop skipper Danny Boatman who seized his chance to pick up and dive over from two metres. This time Painter adding the conversion from out wide.

With just ten minutes gone it looked like we might be in line for another resounding victory. However, the big home pack finally got going forcing the West pack backwards from their own put in at a scrum on the halfway line.

That was enough to open space for fly half Phil Morse to send former rugby league centre Ali Blair streaking through the West defence to score with Morse missing the easy conversion.

He missed again with penalty on the 22 as the home side got back into the game only to lose No. 8 Michael Langlands to the sin bin. He was caught for illegal use of the boot as he powered over Aaron Myers at a ruck.

He was soon followed by Myers himself. He earned the wrath of the referee as he fought for the ball after a superb last ditch tackle by winger Will Hilditch thwarted Park's Guy Pike who had worryingly raced diagaonally through the West defence.

However, Myers was back for the start of the second half and he quickly added to our deserved 12-5 half time lead.

Gavin Painter, back to hus best in the last couple of games, forced the home side back onto their line with a deft grubber kick. When Morse's clearance kick went to Zac Southern on the half way line the West full back sent Myers charging down the left wing from fully 45 metres (pictured).

He evaded the first tackle, changed gear as he raced through the Percy Park forwards before rounding scrum half John Scott whose despairing tackle couldn’t stop Myers from touching down. Gavin Painter again added the extras to give West a two score advantage.

We lost winger Will Hilditch to a shoulder injury with Joe Rafferty coming on into the second row with Myers forced to provide cover in the backs.

That didn't stop West continuing to have the Lion's share of possession, but stout home defence meant that it was by no means sure that we would once again secure a bonus point fourth try.

Fortunately ,their pressure eventually paid off when a catch and drive in their favoured bottom right corner was held up. From the scrum the home pack were going backwards with Sam Miller taking the opportunity to pick up and score despite the attentions of three defenders. Painter again converting from out wide. Percy Park came back and looked to have scored when hooker Jonny Dubois dived over in the corner only for the referee to rule that home skipper Michael Langlands had blocked the defenders.

Wet took the opportunity to take the game back into the Park half, and we looked to have scored when Sam Miller once again dived over, but he was judged to have lost as the ball as he went to ground it.

Superb defence on our own line did almost get that fifth try.

The Percy Park pack was shunted backwards on their own scrum five metres from the West line. Ryan Painter was quickest to collect the loose ball and he sent Liam Checksfield away on a run which saw him outpace the first tacklers, only for desperate defence from full back Michael Grove and winger Liam Blackburn to stop the West youngster just short of the line.

No game next week. Time for a well earned rest and the chance for those injuries to clear up.

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